Multi-axis positioning devices may be used for adjusting the height and parallelism of a sample such as a semiconductor wafer in a processing machine such as a semiconductor wafer inspection tool. Multi-axis positioning devices typically control positioning of Z-axis displacement, rotation about an X-axis, and rotation about a Y-axis while the semiconductor wafer is moving in the x-y directions under a semiconductor processing machine, such as an optical inspection system. The multi-axis positioning device may be used to dynamically compensate for non-flatness of the wafer and should be stiff to provide high bandwidth positioning.
Some multi-axis positioning devices that are currently available may have certain performance deficiencies. For example, some multi-axis positioning device designs are too complicated and may also increase a risk particulate contamination as a result of certain geometries. Some multi-axis positioning devices are configured such that it is difficult to maintain the co-location of a focal point in an x-y plane as the tip and tilt angles are adjusted. In addition, mechanically driven systems may be tool bulky in some instances. What have been needed are multi-axis positioning devices that are stable, rigid, minimize complexity and have a low mass in order to allow a high throughput. What has also been needed are multi-axis positioning devices that accurately measure the position of a sample being positioned so as to allow displacement along the various translational and rotational axes while maintaining a known position of the inspection location on the sample.